Who is the True Leader?

Who is the True Leader?

“A good leader leads the people from above them. A great leader leads the people from within them.” –M.D. Arnold

What makes someone a leader?

Let us start with what leadership isn’t …..Leadership isn’t fancy titles, a position in a hierarchy, or even great management. Leadership is not about those who extoll your greatness nor about the citations on the wall. It certainly is not about getting accolades and having a fan following. These really are for show men, not leaders. Not that true leaders do not get titles, positions or awards. It is just that if you are a true leader, these will not be the first items on your calling card.

Leadership is about having a following. Goes without saying, that if there is no one following, then technically, you are not leading. So what make you a leader and how do we get people to follow? This is a very simple question with extremely complex answers. Firstly leadership needs a definition that is accepted by the vast majority.

There are a million definition as you search the net or read through ready reckoners. They all tell one aspect of leadership or a few but there is always something missing. The closest I got to was, “leadership is all about developing people and helping others reach their full potential”. Good definition, but it leaves a few sides untouched. I have now decided to choose my own pathway to a clearer and more complete definition or as close I can get to one. And to do that I put the various aspects in tabs below.

• Leaders are not extraordinary people, nor do they do extraordinary things. They are just common people, doing common things, extraordinarily well.
• They seek to win but not to defeat anyone.
• They never build high perches above all that show them around. Instead they build stands that are level with everyone so that they see the same and feel as all else and know completely what they deal with.
• They are never more than an arm’s length away and are always approachable, at any time by anyone.
• They are great listeners and learners who know that the seeds of the truth may lie, not only in profound eloquence but even in the word of the innocent child.
• They are great decision makers who decide only after due thought and consultation. They bank on the information given and weigh all options. They then take a decision that is, if possible, acceptable to the great many but more importantly what is good for all. They are open to corrections and do not feel irritated by prudent objections raised.
• Along with decision making, they also work out ways to implement them. Then they depute the most suited person to the task and keep tabs of the progress.
• True leaders make more leaders and share responsibility, power, position and accolades with all who helped them create the success, but accept blame for the end result if it is a failure, without passing it on.
• True leaders always do things in a manner that will sustain and set examples for others. They do not walk ahead of the others they take all along with them.
• Any great leader will take pride and enhance the pride of his group but will be acceptable to good and helpful concepts from outside. He will also accept great concepts from within the group and give due credit to those who created the idea.

Using these qualities I am trying to frame a definition that fits the picture of the true leader as best I can.  He is a person from among you, who not only does very well but takes you along, sharing the credits of decisions that take you forward and the responsibility of failures, learning all the way, innovating as you go and all the while being available to you and one among you. This is the best I can do without actually writing pages and pages about it.